Fan Guard for Electric Fan with Cooling Assembly

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a fan guard for an electric fan. The fan guard includes a base guard including a plurality of guard supports; and a cooling assembly configured on the base guard and including: a cool transfer module having a cool transfer disk and a cool transfer body secured on the guard supports; a heat transfer module having a first end and a second end; a heat sink module having a matrix of fin plates; a thermoelectric cooler chip being in an annular shape and having a cooler hot side coupled with the first end and a cooler cool side coupled with the cool transfer disk; and a thermoelectric generator chip being in a rectangular shape and having a generator hot side coupled with the second end and a generator cool side coupled with the heat sink module.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a fan guard for an electric fan, in particular to a front guard for fan configured with a cooling assembly capable of actively cooling down the surrounding air.

BACKGROUND

Currently the conventional electric fans available on the market are mostly configured with a set of fan guard consisting of a back guard and a front guard for encompassing the fan blades. The back guard and the front guard usually comprise of multiple metal-made wires and are formed in as a mesh or a grille, for example. The fan guard covers and isolates the fan blades from a user and protects the user from being injured by the fan blades rotating in high speed and to prevent things, articles, objects or human fingers from coming into contact with the rotating fan blades. Typically the fan guard on the conventional electric fan provides none of the other functions but the protection/prevention function under the safety reason.

In a hot summer day, the conventional electric fan stirs the air to create the airflow current at approximately the same temperature as the air. Basically the airflow blows toward a user to bring away the heat dissipated from the user, and to speed up the evaporation rate of the sweat, moisture or humidity kept over the human skin. Furthermore the airflow drives the surrounding static air around the airflow to circulate, which brings in relatively cool air anywhere else. Therefore a user can feel and enjoy breezing cool and comfortable.

However, it is adequate to create a minimally feeling of coolness from the air current interacting with humidity on a person's skin but insufficient to increase comfort to a greater degree. Therefore, it demands using a high-consumption air conditioning unit, the air conditioner. However, the air conditioner exhausts lot of heat air and emits hundreds of tons of other greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide. It is almost well known to all the people the usage of the air conditioner exacerbates the global warming situation and consumes a lot of electricity.

Hence, for the sake of saving energy, alleviating the global warming situation and protecting the environment on the planet earth, apparently it is necessary to improve and modify the conventional electric fans. Certainly the conventional electric fans by themselves have quite a few obvious shortages and deficiencies as aforementioned and are urgently required to be improved and modified as well.

Thus there is a need to solve the above deficiencies/issues.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a fan guard for an electric fan includes a base guard including a plurality of guard supports; and a cooling assembly configured on the base guard and including: a cool transfer module having a cool transfer disk and a cool transfer body secured on the guard supports; a heat transfer module having a first end and a second end; a heat sink module having a matrix of fin plates; a thermoelectric cooler chip being in an annular shape and having a cooler hot side coupled with the first end and a cooler cool side coupled with the cool transfer disk; and a thermoelectric generator chip being in a rectangular shape and having a generator hot side coupled with the second end and a generator cool side coupled with the heat sink module.

Preferably, the fan guard further includes a control module electrically connected with the thermoelectric cooler chip and the thermoelectric generator chip; a display panel electrically connected with the control module and showing information to a user; a heat dissipating fan electrically connected with the control module and optionally configured in proximity to the heat sink module; a battery module electrically connected with the control module and storing an electric power; and an electric power plug electrically connected with the control module and used for inserting into a power socket to receive a power source as a fixed electric power and sending it to the control module.

Preferably, a cool thermal energy provided by the cooler cool side is transferred to the cool transfer body through the cool transfer module to cool down the cool transfer body, and a hot thermal energy provided by the cooler hot side is transferred to the generator hot side through the heat transfer module.

Preferably, the heat sink module is used for dissipating the hot thermal energy on the generator cool side so as to decrease a temperature thereon and to create a temperature difference between the generator hot side and the generator cool side.

Preferably, the thermoelectric generator chip generates a recycled electric power based on the temperature difference and sends it to the control module.

Preferably, the cool transfer body comprises a plurality of cool transfer supports separated from each other.

Preferably, the cool transfer body is a structural continuum and is penetrated with a plurality of through holes to form with a mesh and the plurality of through holes is in hexagonal shape.

Preferably, the electric fan is one selected from a panel fan, a standing fan, a pedestal fan, a cool fan, an air cool fan, an oscillating fan, a round fan, an air circulating fan, an air circulator, a circulator, a compact circulator, a panel circulator and a pedestal circulator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof are readily obtained as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a cooling assembly for fan in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a front guard for fan configured with the cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a front view schematic diagram illustrating a front guard for fan configured with the cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a pedestal electric fan configured with the front guard with the cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a front view schematic diagram illustrating the cool transfer module for the cooling assembly for fan in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6(a) shows a perspective view schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support on the cool transfer module in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6(b) shows a schematic diagram illustrating a profile in an opened-type V shape available on a cross-section plane according to the cross-section line AA′ at the cool input end on the cool transfer support shown in FIG. 6(a) in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6(c) shows a schematic diagram illustrating a profile in an opened-type V shape available on a cross-section plane according to the cross-section line AA′ at the terminal end on the cool transfer support shown in FIG. 6(a) in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6(d) shows a lateral view schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support on the cool transfer module in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6(e) shows a back view schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support on the cool transfer module in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagrams illustrating a profile in a geometry of a closed triangular shape for a single cool transfer support available on a cross-section plane according to the cross-section line AA′ shown in FIG. 6(a).

FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support with a twisted cooling surface structure in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a heat transfer module equipped with heat pipes in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a bottom view schematic diagram illustrating a heat transfer module equipped with heat pipes in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11(a) shows a front view schematic diagram illustrating the cool transfer module formed with a hexagonal mesh in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11(b) shows a perspective view schematic diagram illustrating the hexagonal mesh shown in FIG. 11(a) formed on the cool transfer support in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11(c) shows a front view schematic diagram illustrating a portion of the hexagonal mesh on the cool transfer support shown in FIG. 11(a) in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11(d) is a back view schematic diagram illustrating a single micro airflow tube located around the cool transfer disk and with the upstream opening and the downstream opening sharing the same projection center.

FIG. 11(e) is a back view schematic diagram illustrating single micro airflow tube located around the outer circumference and with the downstream opening having a projection center outwardly deviated from the projection center of the upstream opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings, but the disclosure is not limited thereto but is only limited by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice.

The disclosure will now be described by a detailed description of several embodiments. It is clear that other embodiments can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the true technical teaching of the present disclosure, the claimed disclosure being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

It is to be noticed that the term “comprise”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B.

It is to be noticed that the term “coupled with”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the condition a component A directly connected with a component B only. It is thus to be interpreted as causing a component A to be directly or indirectly contacted with, assembled with or connected with a component B which enables a conduction-driven heat exchange between the components A and B. For instance the scope of the recitation “the component A coupled with the component B” should be interpreted in such way that the component A is connected with a component C or more components and the component C or more components is/are to be connected with component B. Equivalently that is the component A is indirectly connected with component B which enables a conduction-driven heat exchange therebetween.

It is to be noticed that the term “hot” or “high temperature” used in the disclosure should be referred to a thermal energy carrying a hot temperature relatively higher than a cool temperature; the term “cool” or “low temperature” used in the disclosure should be referred to a thermal energy carrying a cool temperature relatively lower than a hot temperature. The term “fan guard” used in the disclosure should be referred to as “fan grille”, “fan grills”, “fan cover”, “wire cover”, “fan protective cover”, “fan mesh” and “fan wire mesh” as well.

The thermoelectric cooler (TEC) chip described in the disclosure refers to a chip applying Peltier effect to create a heat flux between the junction of two different types of materials by receiving an electrical energy, having a TEC hot side and a TEC cool side and therefore being capable of cooling down the TEC cool side and things contacting with the TEC cool side. The thermoelectric generator (TEG) chip described in the disclosure refers to a chip applying Seebeck effect to generate an electrical energy by converting heat/temperature difference, and therefore having a TEG hot side and a TEG cool side, wherein the TEG hot side is used for receiving a relatively high temperature and the TEG cool side is used for receiving a relatively low temperature.

FIG. 1 is a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a cooling assembly for fan in accordance with the present invention. The cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention is applicable to a front guard for a fan, for an electric fan, for a panel fan, for a standing fan, for a pedestal fan, for a cool fan, for an air cool fan, for an oscillating fan, for a round fan, for an air circulating fan, for an air circulator, for a circulator, for a compact circulator, for a panel circulator or for a pedestal circulator.

The cooling assembly 100 includes a control module 110, a display panel 120, a battery module 130, a housing 140, a TEC chip 150, a TEG chip 160, a heat transfer module 170, a heat sink module 180, a cool transfer module 190 and a heat dissipating fan 198. The TEC chip 150, the TEG chip 160, the heat transfer module 170 and the heat sink module 180 are mostly encompassed and protected by the housing 140. The housing 140 is preferably made of the heat insulation material, such as a plastic material or a polymer material. The TEC chip 150 further includes a TEC hot side 151 and a TEC cool side 152 and the TEG chip 160 further includes a TEG hot side 161 and a TEG cool side 162.

The control module 110 includes an electric circuit inside and is electrically connected with the electric power plug 111, the display panel 120, the battery module 130, the TEC chip 150, the TEG chip 160 and the heat dissipating fan 198. The display panel 120 is used for showing information to a user and the battery module 130 is used for storing an electric power. The control module 110 receives both a fixed electric power from the electric power plug 111 and a recycled electric power as the power input. The recycled electric power is generated from the TEG chip 160 and stored in the battery module 130 through the control module 110. The TEG chip 160 generates the recycled electric power by recycling/collecting the waste heat from the TEC chip 150. The electric power plug 111 is electrically connected with the control module 110 and is ready for inserting into a power socket providing a power source and receiving the power source as the fixed electric power. The electric power plug 111 on the control module 110 can be integrated into the power plug on the electric fan for simple. The control module 110 converts the fixed electric power into a direct current (DC). The control module 110 sends the power input to charge the battery module 130 and to drive the display panel 120, the TEC chip 150 and the heat dissipating fan 198.

The TEC chip 150 is preferably formed in an annular shape or in a circular disk shape with a hollow opened in the center. The TEC chip 150 is electrically connected with the control module 110 and has the capability to receive the electric power as an input, to cause a heat flux between the TEC hot side 151 and the TEC cool side 152 for generating a temperature difference therebetween as an output, according to the Peltier effect. Typically the TEC hot side 151 generates a hot thermal energy having relatively hot or high temperature as compared to the TEC cool side 152 which generates a cool thermal energy with a relatively cool or low temperature.

The TEG chip 160 is preferably formed in a quadrangular shape, a square shape or a rectangular shape. The TEG chip 160 has the capability to receive/sense (recycle) the temperature difference between the TEG hot side 161 and the TEG cool side 162 as an input, to generate the recycled electric power as an output, according to the Seebeck effect. Typically the TEG hot side 161 is utilized to receive a hot thermal energy (the waste heat coming from the TEC chip 150) with a relatively hot or high temperature and the TEG cool side 162 is utilized to receive a cool thermal energy with a relatively cool or low temperature.

The heat transfer module 170 has a first end 171 and a second end 172. The heat sink module 180 includes a matrix of fin plates 181 for increasing the fin efficiency or the fin aspect ratio. The cool transfer module 190 has a cool transfer disk 191 and a cool transfer body, and the cool transfer body includes multiple cool transfer supports 192 separated from each other. In this embodiment, the cool transfer supports 192 are multiple prisms in opened V shape which is separated from each other. The heat transfer module 170, the heat sink module 180, the cool transfer module 190 and the related components thereof are preferably made of a material with a thermal conductivity preferably higher than 20 W/m-k, such as, an alloy, a metal, an aluminum, a copper, a gold, a sliver and a combination thereof.

The TEC cool side 152 contacts and is assembled with the cool transfer disk 191. The cool thermal energy generated on the TEC cool side 152 is transferred to the cool transfer disk 191 and further transferred and spread to the multiple cool transfer supports 192 mainly by the conduction mechanism, slightly by the radiation mechanism, the diffusion mechanism and the convection mechanism.

The TEC hot side 151 is preferably arranged in proximity or opposite to the TEG hot side 161 as near as possible, and the heat transfer module 170 is configured between the TEC hot side 151 and TEG hot side 161 for creating a thermal energy exchange passage therebetween. The TEC hot side 151 contacts and is assembled with the first end 171 and the TEG hot side 161 contacts and is assembled with the second end 172. Consequently, the hot thermal energy generated on the TEC hot side 151 is transferred to the TEG hot side 161 through the heat transfer module 170 as the hot thermal energy input for the TEC hot side 161.

The TEG cool side 162 contacts and is assembled with the heat sink module 180. The heat sink module 180 has the capability to dissipate heat and is used for dissipating the hot thermal energy on the TEG cool side 162 as well and fast as possible, so as to decrease the temperature on the TEG cool side 162, to create the temperature difference between the TEG hot side 161 and the TEG cool side 162 to enable the electric power generation on TEG chip 160. The heat dissipating fan 198 is optionally configured in proximity to the heat sink module 180 and is able to drain out the thermal energy around the heat sink module 180 to facilitate the heat dissipation efficiency for the heat sink module 180.

Under the above configuration for the cooling assembly 100, the cool thermal energy generated on the TEC cool side 152 is finally directed to the multiple cool transfer supports 192, and the hot thermal energy (waste heat) generated on the TEC hot side 151 is transferred and directed to the TEG hot side 161 as the required hot thermal energy input for the TEC hot side 161, to create the temperature difference between the TEG hot side 161 and the TEG cool side 162 to drive the TEG chip 160 generating the recycled electric power. The recycled electric power is transmitted to the control module 110 and finally directed to recharge the battery module 130.

According to the cooling assembly 100 described in the present invention, the waste heat generated by the TEC chip 150 can be recycled and then turned into the recycled electric power. Through the configuration, the waste heat generated on the TEC hot side 151 can be well reused to generate the electric power and is never and ever to be a tough problem hardly to deal with. Furthermore, because most part of the cooling assembly 100 is encompassed inside the housing 140 made of the heat insulation material, the waste heat on the TEC hot side 151 can hardly dissipate out of the housing 140 which is able to cause any influences on the cooling efficiency for the cooling assembly 100 as less as possible.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a front guard for fan configured with the cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view schematic diagram illustrating a front guard for fan configured with the cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention.

The front guard (fan guard) 300 includes a base guard 310 and the cooling assembly 100. The base guard 310 further includes a guard support 320, a guard frame 330 and multiple connections 340. The base guard 310 preferably consists of multiple guard supports 320 and the guard frame 330, the guard frame 330 is preferably in a ring shape, and the multiple connections are configured on the guard frame 330. Each guard supports 320 have two ends which are secured on the guard frame 330 and the cool transfer disk 191 on the cooling assembly 100 respectively. A decoration panel 350 is configured to hide it from viewing the ungraceful structure linking the guard supports 320 and the cool transfer disk 191.

The cooling assembly 100 is configured on the front guard 300 by securing the cool transfer supports 192 on the guard supports 320. In addition to transferring the cool thermal energy, the multiple cool transfer supports 192 on the cooling assembly 100 behaves as the supporting structure as well to support the cooling assembly 100 to stably secure on the base guard 310 and the front guard 300. The cool transfer support 192 on the cooling assembly 100 is designed to be slightly tapered off to the end where the cool transfer support 192 is connected with the cool transfer disk 191, and has a tapered shape as if viewed from a point of front view. There are multiple intervals 193 roughly in strip shape existing between each of the multiple cool transfer supports 192 on the front guard 300.

The display panel 120 on the cooling assembly 100 can show the general information, such as, the current surrounding temperature (the Room Temp on the display panel 120), and the current work temperature on the cool transfer supports 192 (the Grid Temp on the display panel 120). The entire front guard 300 is able to connect with any back guard on an electric fan (including a conventional electric fan) through the multiple connections 340. The connections 340 are preferably a screw means or a quick release means.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a pedestal electric fan configured with the front guard with the cooling assembly in accordance with the present invention. The pedestal electric fan 400 includes a back guard 410, an electric motor 420, multiple fan blades 430, a standing leg 440 and a base 450. The front guard 300 includes the cooling assembly 100. The front guard 300 is connected with a back guard 410 on a pedestal electric fan 400 through the connections 340.

When the pedestal electric fan 400 is in operation, the TEC cool side on the TEC chip in the cooling assembly 100 keeps generating the cool thermal energy to reduce the temperature on the multiple cool transfer supports 192 on the front guard 300, and the electric motor 420 keeps driving the fan blades 430 to cause an airflow 460 passing through the front guard 300, in particular to passing through the intervals 193 in strip shape between the multiple cool transfer supports 192 on the front guard 300. Thus by rending the airflow 460 passing through the intervals 193 between the multiple cool transfer supports 192, when the airflow 460 contacts with the multiple cool transfer supports 192 with the relatively lower temperature, consequently the temperature in the airflow 460 is well cooled down, so that the pedestal electric fan is capable of blowing out the airflow 460 much cooler than that of the conventional electric fan. The current of the airflow 460 moves from an upstream side UP toward a downstream side DS. The upstream side UP refers to the side where the airflow 460 comes from and is located at the same side with the fan blades 430.

During the operation, the TEC chip also continues generating the waste heat on the TEC hot side. However, the waste heat is finally directed to the TEG hot side on the TEG chip by the thermal transfer module as the hot thermal energy input for the TEG chip. It then creates the temperature difference between the TEG hot side and the TEG cool side required to cause the TEG chip generating the recycled electric power. The recycled electric power is then stored in the battery module and ready to use. The present invention recycles the waste heat emitted by the TEC chip and transforms it into to the electric power.

FIG. 5 is a front view schematic diagram illustrating the cool transfer module for the cooling assembly for fan in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 5 depicts the cool transfer module 190 in a schematic shape viewed at the downstream side DS defined in FIG. 4 which is a point of view for the front view. The cool transfer module 190 includes a cool transfer disk 191 and multiple cool transfer supports 192. The cool transfer support 192 has a terminal end TE and another end the cool input end CE connecting with the cool transfer disk 191. There are multiple intervals 193 between each cool transfer supports 192 and the airflow 460 moves through the intervals 193 from the upstream side toward the downstream side. When moving through the intervals 193, the airflow 460 directly contacts with the cooling surface opposite to an inner surface NS on the support 192. The inner surface NS is typically the surface on the support 192 shown in FIG. 5 and cooling surface is the surface opposite to the inner surface NS which is unable to be shown out in FIG. 5. The cool transfer support 192 has a tapered shape that is tapered off to the cool input end CE as if seen from a front view.

FIG. 6(a) is a perspective view schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support on the cool transfer module in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6(b) is a schematic diagram illustrating a profile in an opened-type V shape available on a cross-section plane according to the cross-section line AA′ at the cool input end on the cool transfer support shown in FIG. 6(a) in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6(c) is a schematic diagram illustrating a profile in an opened-type V shape available on a cross-section plane according to the cross-section line AA′ at the terminal end on the cool transfer support shown in FIG. 6(a) in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6(d) is a lateral view schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support on the cool transfer module in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6(e) is a back view schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support on the cool transfer module in accordance with the present invention.

For the cool transfer module 190, the cool transfer support 192 is configured with the cool transfer disk 191. It is preferable the cool transfer support 192 and the cool transfer disk 191 are integrated together and made as a one-piece component, a monocoque structure or a structural continuum, for example. There are two kinds of types for the cool transfer support 192 including an opened-type support and a closed-type support. The cool transfer support 192 shown in FIG. 6(a) through FIG. 6(e) is formed in an opened V shape which belongs to the opened-type support and made with structures including a windward edge WE, a cool input end CE, a terminal end TE, a cooling surface CS, an inner surface NS, a length L, a width W and a depth D. The cool input end CE is the end on the support 192 connecting to the cool transfer disk 191 and close to the TEC cool side. The cool input end CE is used for receiving the cool thermal energy from the cool transfer disk generated by and transferred from the TEC cool side. The windward edge WE is the edge structure facing the airflow 460 on the support 192.

The airflow 460 blown out from the fan blades at an upstream side US moves toward the cool transfer support 192 and first contacts with the windward edge WE and then the cooling surface CS. With the width W on the support 192, the airflow 460 is forced to contact with the cooling surface CS when passing through the support 192. When the airflow 460 then contacts with the cooling surface CS, a thermal exchange between the airflow 460 and the cooling surface CS is substantively and efficiently carried out on the cooling surface CS. The thermal exchange makes the cool thermal energy on the cooling surface CS transferring to the airflow 460 to cools down the temperature in the airflow 460. Subsequently, the cooled airflow 460 circulates in a specific space and actively performs the thermal exchange with the surrounding air in the specific space, which conditions, cools down the temperature in the specific space, in the surrounding or in the environment. As if there is a person who is currently staying at the specific space, she/he feels particularly cool and comfortable consequently.

In order to increase the thermal exchange efficiency and force the airflow 460 to well contact with the cooling surface CE, the cool transfer support 192 is preferably formed with being tapered off from the terminal end TE to the cool input end CE, no matter seen from a point of front view viewed from the downstream side DS as shown in FIG. 6(a), a point back view viewed from the upstream side UP as shown in FIG. 6(a) and shown in FIG. 6(e), or a lateral view as shown in FIG. 6(d). The tapered shape of support 192 can slightly block the airflow 460 to make it slow down which forces and ensures the contact between the airflow 460 with the cooling surface CS and thus increase the thermal exchange efficiency occurring on the cooling surface CS.

Due to the tapered shape on the support 192, the width WCE of the V shape cross section at the cool input end CE shown in FIG. 6(e) and FIG. 6(b) available according to the cross-section line AA′ around the cool input end CE shown in FIG. 6(a) is less than the width WTE of the V shape cross section at the terminal end TE shown in FIG. 6(e) and FIG. 6(c) available according to the cross-section line AA′ around the terminal end TE shown in FIG. 6(a), and the depth DCE of the V shape cross section at the cool input end TE shown in FIG. 6(d) and FIG. 6(b) available according to the cross-section line AA′ around the cool input end CE shown in FIG. 6(a) is less than the depth DTE of the V shape cross section at the terminal end TE shown in FIG. 6(d) and FIG. 6(c) available according to the cross-section line AA′ around the terminal end TE shown in FIG. 6(a)

In order to have a better cooling performance, it is preferable to further coat a layer of thermal conductive coating over the cooling surface CS and to coat a layer of the thermal insulation coating over the inner surface NS. The thermal conductive coating over the cooling surface CS is able to enhance performance for the thermal exchange occurring on the cooling surface CS and the thermal insulation coating over the inner surface NS is able to prevent the cool thermal energy on the cool transfer support 192 from dissipating out via the inner surface NS. Furthermore, it is preferable as well to increase the dimension for the width W and the depth D. By increasing the dimension for the depth D, the cooling surface CS with which the airflow 460 contacts is subsequently increased, which is able to contacts more airflow and helps to cool down more airflow within the same period of time. With increasing the width W, it is able to ensure the airflow 460 to contact with the cooling surface CS substantively.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagrams illustrating a profile in a geometry of a closed triangular shape for a single cool transfer support available on a cross-section plane according to the cross-section line AA′ shown in FIG. 6(a). For the cool transfer support 192, in addition to the opened-type support, for example, the opened V shape profile as shown in FIG. 6(a), the closed-type support is to be an option for the cross section shape for the cool transfer support 192. There are varieties of profile geometries for the closed-type support capable of being applied to the cool transfer support 192, such as, a closed triangular shape as shown in FIG. 7, a closed wedge shape, a closed quadrangular shape or a closed polygonal shape.

As if the support 192 is made as a closed-type support, in order to significantly enhance the cooling efficiency through the cooling surface CS on the support 192, an addition cold-conservation agent, such as, a superabsorbent polymer, is filled within the sealed space inside the support 192. The cold-conservation agent well keeps the cool thermal energy retaining on the support 192 for much longer period of time. For a closed-type support 192 but without filling with the cold-conservation agent, it is preferable to further coat a layer of thermal conductive coating over the cooling surface CS and to coat a layer of the thermal insulation coating over the inner surface NS as well, for better improving the cooling performance for the closed-type support 192.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a single cool transfer support with a twisted cooling surface structure in accordance with the present invention. Usually the airflow generated by the electric fan with blades is strong like a jet of air. It appears a majority of airflow is constraint to stream within an invisible, circular channel defined by the scope of rotating blades on the fan which may cause the airflow somehow very centralized and intense and blowing within a specific blowing scope that is relatively small. Therefore, although the airflow blown out from the fan is already well cooled down when passing through the cool transfer support, it is yet to be uncomfortable and unpleasant for some users. Furthermore as if letting the cooling airflow blowing only within a specific small scope in concentration, it yet may be too cold for most users. In addition, as if the airflow moves strongly, fast and intensely, it may cause it too short the contacting period, a span of a time that the airflow is in a status of contacting with the cool transfer support, to sufficiently and well perform the thermal exchange between.

Therefore, in order to magnify and expand the blowing scope the airflow 460 blows as large as possible, to cool down more air as much as possible, to generate pleasant breezing feeling and to achieve large-area cooling effect, the cooling surface CS on the support 192 in this embodiment is preferably modified to have a surface in a twisted, a spiral like shape or a propeller like shape. It can be achieved simply by twisting the cooling surface CS on the support 192. For example, it is achieved by fixing the cool input end CS but slightly twisting the terminal end TE clockwise or counter clockwise as shown in FIG. 8. By duly twisting the cooling surface on the support 192, a part of the airflow 460 passing through the support 192 is re-directed to flow centrifugally and outwardly, partly moves toward an outward direction OD and thus the airflow 460 can spread over a relatively large scope, to cool down more surrounding air and to cover much larger cooling area. A beam of the airflow 460 that originally is intense is actually diffused and dilated by the twisted cooling surface CS on the support 192.

FIG. 9 is a cross-section schematic diagram illustrating a heat transfer module equipped with heat pipes in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 10 is a bottom view schematic diagram illustrating a heat transfer module equipped with heat pipes in accordance with the present invention. In order to increase the heat transfer efficiency for the component the heat transfer module, a heat pipe 910 is optionally adapted to arrange together with the heat transfer module. The heat transfer module 170 has a first end 171 and a second end 172 and the heat pipe 910 has a first side 911 and a second side 912. The first side 911 is attached to the first end 171 and is sandwiched between the first end 171 and the TEC hot side 151. The second side 912 is attached to the second end 172 and is sandwiched between the second end 172 and the TEG hot side 161.

The heat pipe 910 is a curved sealed tube with a working fluid, such as an ethanol solution or a water solution, filled inside the sealed tube space. The first side 911 on the heat pipe 910 absorbs the heat from the first end 171 to drive the working fluid turning from a liquid phase into a vapor phase. Then the vaporized working liquid travels from the first side 911 to the second side 912 with a relatively lower temperature and condenses back into a liquid phase by releasing the latent heat. The working fluid keeps circulating between the first side 911 and the second side 912 and performing the phase change between the liquid phase and the vapor phase inside the tube, so as to transfer the heat between first end 171 and a second end 172.

Therefore by combining the heat transfer module 170 with the heat pipe 910, the hot thermal energy on the TEC hot side 151 is able to be transferred to the TEG hot side 161 more efficiently and rapidly, resulting in a temperature difference between the TEG hot side and the TEG cool side. However, the structural strength for the heat pipe 910 is insufficient for setting and supporting components such as the TEC chip 150, the TEG chip 160, the multiple cool transfer supports 192 and etc. on the cooling assembly 100, as shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable to configure the heat pipe 910 together with the heat transfer module 170 on the cooling assembly 100. By the same token, the technology regarding the heat pipe is applicable to optionally apply to the heat sink module 180 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11(a) is a front view schematic diagram illustrating the cool transfer module formed with a hexagonal mesh in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 11(b) is a perspective view schematic diagram illustrating the hexagonal mesh shown in FIG. 11(a) formed on the cool transfer support in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 11(c) is a front view schematic diagram illustrating a portion of the hexagonal mesh on the cool transfer support shown in FIG. 11(a) in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 11(d) is a back view schematic diagram illustrating a single micro airflow tube located around the cool transfer disk and with the upstream opening and the downstream opening sharing the same projection center. FIG. 11(e) is a back view schematic diagram illustrating single micro airflow tube located around the outer circumference and with the downstream opening having a downstream projection center outwardly radially deviated from the upstream projection center of the upstream opening.

FIG. 11(a) depicts the cool transfer module 190 in a front view schematic shape viewed at the downstream side DS defined in FIG. 4 and the cool transfer module 190 includes a cool transfer disk 191 and a cool transfer body 195. In this embodiment, the cool transfer body 195 is a structural continuum, a monocoque structure and is formed with a hexagonal mesh. The structural continuum of the cool transfer body 195 is penetrated with multiple through holes 196 in hexagonal shape. The airflow 460 moves through the hexagonal through holes 196 along the path from the upstream side UP toward the downstream side DS as defined in FIG. 4, and therefore, the surface on the cool transfer body 195 shown in FIG. 11(a) is the inner surface NS.

Actually the hexagonal mesh consisting of multiple hexagonal micro airflow tubes and each of the hexagonal through holes 196 are formed into a hexagonal micro airflow tube. As shown in FIG. 11(b), the airflow 460 moves through the holes 196 which are micro airflow tubes along the path from the upstream side UP toward the downstream side DS. Each micro airflow tubes have two openings in hexagonal shape at both ends, one of which is the upstream opening UO situated at the upstream side UP and anther one of which is the downstream opening DO situated at the downstream side DS. Since the area of the upstream opening UO is larger than that of the downstream opening DO for the same micro airflow tube the hexagonal through hole 196 as shown in FIG. 11(b), the airflow 460 passing through the holes 196 is to be forced to contact with the cooling surface CS when passing through the holes 196, to ensure the thermal exchange efficiency occurring on the cooling surface CS.

It is to be noticed that, both upstream projection center CU of the upstream opening UO and the downstream projection center CD of downstream opening on the holes 196 around the cool transfer disk 191 projected onto the same projection plane, are supposed to locate on the same point, as shown in FIG. 11(d). That is both upstream and downstream projection centers CU and DU for the same hole 196 around the cool transfer disk are situated on the same virtual axial line which is perpendicular to the same projection plane. It means the airflow 460 passing through the micro airflow tubes on the holes 196 around the cool transfer disk is supposed to move straightforwardly.

However, in order to magnify and expand the blowing scope the airflow 460 blows as large as possible, to cool down more air as much as possible, to generate pleasant breezing feeling and to achieve large-area cooling effect, the downstream projection center CD of the downstream opening DO on the holes 196 the micro airflow tubes around the outer circumference side OC projected onto the same projection plane is supposed to regularly deviate from the upstream projection center CU of the upstream opening UO centrifugally and outwardly radially, to shift toward the outer circumference side OC, and to never and ever coincide with the upstream projection center CU of the upstream opening UO, as shown in FIG. 11(e). Thus the airflow 460 can spread over a relatively large scope, to cool down more surrounding air and to cover much larger cooling area.

There are further embodiments provided as follows.

Embodiment 1: A fan guard for an electric fan includes a base guard including a plurality of guard supports; and a cooling assembly configured on the base guard and including: a cool transfer module having a cool transfer disk and a cool transfer body secured on the guard supports; a heat transfer module having a first end and a second end; a heat sink module having a matrix of fin plates; a thermoelectric cooler chip being in an annular shape and having a cooler hot side coupled with the first end and a cooler cool side coupled with the cool transfer disk; and a thermoelectric generator chip being in a rectangular shape and having a generator hot side coupled with the second end and a generator cool side coupled with the heat sink module.

Embodiment 2: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 1 further includes a control module electrically connected with the thermoelectric cooler chip and the thermoelectric generator chip; a display panel electrically connected with the control module and showing information to a user; a heat dissipating fan electrically connected with the control module and optionally configured in proximity to the heat sink module; a battery module electrically connected with the control module and storing an electric power; and an electric power plug electrically connected with the control module and used for inserting into a power socket to receive a power source as a fixed electric power and sending it to the control module.

Embodiment 3: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 1, wherein a cool thermal energy provided by the cooler cool side is transferred to the cool transfer body through the cool transfer module to cool down the cool transfer body, and a hot thermal energy provided by the cooler hot side is transferred to the generator hot side through the heat transfer module.

Embodiment 4: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 2, wherein the heat sink module is used for dissipating the hot thermal energy on the generator cool side so as to decrease a temperature thereon and to create a temperature difference between the generator hot side and the generator cool side.

Embodiment 5: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 4, wherein the thermoelectric generator chip generates a recycled electric power based on the temperature difference and sends it to the control module.

Embodiment 6: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 5, wherein the control module receives the fixed electric power and the recycled electric power as a power input, converts the fixed electric power into a direct current, and sends the power input to charge the battery module and to drive the display panel, the heat dissipating fan and the thermoelectric cooler chip.

Embodiment 7: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 1, wherein the electric fan includes a back guard and a front guard and the electric fan is one selected from a panel fan, a standing fan, a pedestal fan, a cool fan, an air cool fan, an oscillating fan, a round fan, an air circulating fan, an air circulator, a circulator, a compact circulator, a panel circulator and a pedestal circulator.

Embodiment 8: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 7, wherein the base guard further includes: a guard frame being in a ring shape; the plurality of guard supports having two ends secured on the guard frame and the cool transfer disk respectively; and a plurality of connections configured on the guard frame and connecting with the back guard on the electric fan.

Embodiment 9: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 1, wherein the cool transfer module, the heat transfer module and the heat sink module are made of a thermal conductive material with a thermal conductivity higher than 20 W/m-k.

Embodiment 10: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 9, wherein the thermal conductive material is one selected from a group consisting of an alloy, a metal, an aluminum, a copper, a gold, a sliver and a combination thereof.

Embodiment 11: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 1, wherein the cool transfer body includes a plurality of cool transfer supports separated from each other.

Embodiment 12: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 11, wherein each of the cool transfer supports is a prism having a cross section in one selected from following geometric profile shapes: an opened V shape, a closed triangular shape, a closed wedge shape, a closed diamond shape, a closed octagonal shape and a closed polygonal shape.

Embodiment 13: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 11, wherein each of the plurality of cool transfer supports has a cooling surface, each of the plurality of cool transfer supports and the cooling surface thereof is formed in one of a twisted shape, a spiral-like shape and a propeller-like shape.

Embodiment 14: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 1, wherein the cool transfer body is a structural continuum and is penetrated with a plurality of through holes to form with a mesh and the plurality of through holes is in hexagonal shape.

Embodiment 15: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 14, wherein each of the through holes have an upstream opening and a downstream opening and is formed into a micro airflow tube, the upstream opening has an upstream projection center projected onto a projection plane, and the downstream opening has a downstream projection center projected onto the projection plane.

Embodiment 16: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 15, wherein the upstream projection center and the downstream projection center projected onto the same projection plane for the same through hole located around the cool transfer disk are situated on the same point on the same projection plane.

Embodiment 17: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 15, wherein the downstream projection center projected onto the same projection plane for the same through hole located around the outer circumference on the cool transfer body is deviated from the upstream projection center projected onto the same projection plane for the same micro airflow tube and shifts toward the outer circumference.

Embodiment 18: The fan guard as described in Embodiment 7 being applicable to behave as the front guard on the electric fan.

While the disclosure has been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. Therefore, the above description and illustration should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present disclosure which is defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan guard for an electric fan, comprising: a base guard comprising a plurality of guard supports; and a cooling assembly configured on the base guard and comprising: a cool transfer module having a cool transfer disk and a cool transfer body secured on the guard supports; a heat transfer module having a first end and a second end; a heat sink module having a matrix of fin plates; a thermoelectric cooler chip being in an annular shape and having a cooler hot side coupled with the first end and a cooler cool side coupled with the cool transfer disk; and a thermoelectric generator chip being in a rectangular shape and having a generator hot side coupled with the second end and a generator cool side coupled with the heat sink module.
 2. The fan guard as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a control module electrically connected with the thermoelectric cooler chip and the thermoelectric generator chip; a display panel electrically connected with the control module and showing information to a user; a heat dissipating fan electrically connected with the control module and optionally configured in proximity to the heat sink module; a battery module electrically connected with the control module and storing an electric power; and an electric power plug electrically connected with the control module and used for inserting into a power socket to receive a power source as a fixed electric power and sending it to the control module.
 3. The fan guard as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cool thermal energy provided by the cooler cool side is transferred to the cool transfer body through the cool transfer module to cool down the cool transfer body, and a hot thermal energy provided by the cooler hot side is transferred to the generator hot side through the heat transfer module.
 4. The fan guard as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat sink module is used for dissipating the hot thermal energy on the generator cool side so as to decrease a temperature thereon and to create a temperature difference between the generator hot side and the generator cool side.
 5. The fan guard as claimed in claim 4, wherein the thermoelectric generator chip generates a recycled electric power based on the temperature difference and sends it to the control module.
 6. The fan guard as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control module receives the fixed electric power and the recycled electric power as a power input, converts the fixed electric power into a direct current, and sends the power input to charge the battery module and to drive the display panel, the heat dissipating fan and the thermoelectric cooler chip.
 7. The fan guard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric fan comprises a back guard and a front guard and the electric fan is one selected from a panel fan, a standing fan, a pedestal fan, a cool fan, an air cool fan, an oscillating fan, a round fan, an air circulating fan, an air circulator, a circulator, a compact circulator, a panel circulator and a pedestal circulator.
 8. The fan guard as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base guard further comprises: a guard frame being in a ring shape; the plurality of guard supports having two ends secured on the guard frame and the cool transfer disk respectively; and a plurality of connections configured on the guard frame and connecting with the back guard on the electric fan.
 9. The fan guard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cool transfer module, the heat transfer module and the heat sink module are made of a thermal conductive material with a thermal conductivity higher than 20 W/m-k.
 10. The fan guard as claimed in claim 9, wherein the thermal conductive material is one selected from a group consisting of an alloy, a metal, an aluminum, a copper, a gold, a sliver and a combination thereof.
 11. The fan guard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cool transfer body comprises a plurality of cool transfer supports separated from each other.
 12. The fan guard as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the cool transfer supports is a prism having a cross section in one selected from following geometric profile shapes: an opened V shape, a closed triangular shape, a closed wedge shape, a closed diamond shape, a closed octagonal shape and a closed polygonal shape.
 13. The fan guard as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of cool transfer supports has a cooling surface, each of the plurality of cool transfer supports and the cooling surface thereof is formed in one of a twisted shape, a spiral-like shape and a propeller-like shape.
 14. The fan guard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cool transfer body is a structural continuum and is penetrated with a plurality of through holes to form with a mesh and the plurality of through holes is in hexagonal shape.
 15. The fan guard as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the through holes have an upstream opening and a downstream opening and is formed into a micro airflow tube, the upstream opening has an upstream projection center projected onto a projection plane, and the downstream opening has a downstream projection center projected onto the projection plane.
 16. The fan guard as claimed in claim 15, wherein the upstream projection center and the downstream projection center projected onto the same projection plane for the same through hole located around the cool transfer disk are situated on the same point on the same projection plane.
 17. The fan guard as claimed in claim 15, wherein the downstream projection center projected onto the same projection plane for the same through hole located around the outer circumference on the cool transfer body is deviated from the upstream projection center projected onto the same projection plane for the same micro airflow tube and shifts toward the outer circumference.
 18. The fan guard as claimed in claim 7 being applicable to behave as the front guard on the electric fan. 